Melson was convicted in the 1994 slayings of three employees at a Popeyes restaurant in Gadsden.

The chief of the Alabama attorney general's capital litigation division, Clay Crenshaw, said today the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear the case of Florida death row inmate Albert Holland, who has raised issues similar to Melson. He said that prompted the Alabama justices to stay Melson's execution until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the Florida case.

Crenshaw said Holland's case is scheduled to be argued before the court in March and he expects a decision by July. Melson had been scheduled to be executed on Feb. 18.

Holland is on death row in Florida after being convicted of killing a police officer, who was trying to arrest him for another crime.

The U.S. Supreme Court had rejected Melson's appeal, saying he did not file on time. But Melson had asked the court for a rehearing, saying that his appeal was filed late because of an ineffective attorney.

Melson's attorneys had argued in his appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court that he should not be executed because his motion for a rehearing is still pending in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Melson is currently being represented by the federal public defenders office in Montgomery. A spokeswoman for the office did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.

Crenshaw said the state argued before the Alabama Supreme Court that any decision to delay Melson's execution should be made by the U.S. Supreme Court and not the state court.

"The question of whether any further delay is warranted in this case is best determined by the United States Supreme Court which can decide whether this case will be affected by its decision in Holland," the state's brief said.

Melson, 38, was convicted in the killings along with Cuhuatemoc Peraita. Peraita was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is currently on death row for killing another prison inmate.

Melson and Peraita were accused of forcing employees into a freezer during a late night robbery at Popeyes and shooting them.